Rail-fastener.



' A. SMATHERS.

RAIL FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 191-0.

Patented Jan. '10, 1911'.

ALPHEUS SMATHERS, OF STEUBENVILLE, OHIO.

RAIL-FASTENER.

seiner.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

Application filed May 28, 1910. Serial No. 563,879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anrrmns binrrinans, a citizen of the United Statesof America,

residing at Steubenville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-l asteners. ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to rail fasteners, and the objects of myinvention are to provide a novel rail brace that can be easily andquickly placed in position to brace the outer side of a rail and secureone side thereof to a tie or sleeper, and to furnish a tie with a bracefor a rail that is simple in construction, durable, easily installed,and inexpensive to manufacture.

I attain the above objects by a brace and fastener that can be used inconnection with the ordinary type of wooden tie or in connection with aspecially designed metallic tie, the brace or fastener being constructedand secured to the tie whereby lateral displacement is practicallyimpossible when the inner side of the rail is secured to the tie.

The invention will be hereinafter specifically described and thenclaimed, and reference will now be had to the drawin wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rail fastener. Fig. 2 is a plan ofthe same, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a detached fastener.

In the accompanying drawings the reference numeral 1 denotes a tie madeof wood or metal, said tie being designed to support the base flanges 2and 3 of a rail having a web a and a head The rail is seated upon thetie 1 adjacent to the end thereof and the upper surface of the tie isprovided with a longitudinally-eXtending inclined seat 6 which inclinesdownwardly toward one end of the tie and the said seat 6 terminates inan inwardly-beveled wall 7 which constitutes an abutment. The wall 7 isfurther disposed at an inclination transversely with respect to theupper face of the tie.

Mounted upon the seat 6 is a fastener and brace, comprising a fastenerportion 8 and a brace portion 9, said fastener portion having an edge 10to engage the wall 7, and an inclined opening 11 located centrally ofthe fastener portion 8 to receive a spike 12 or other fastening means,as a bolt, tie-rod, etc. The beveled edge 10 of the fastener portion 8is inclined from one side of said portion to the opposite side thereof,whereby the fastener and brace can be shifted upon the seat 6 to wedgebetween the walls 7 and the web 4, particularly after the base flange 2of the rail has been secured to the tie 1 by spikes or other fasteningmeans 13.

The brace portion 9 has the under side thereof cut away, as at- 1&.whereby it can extend over the base flange 0 of the rail and engage theouter side of the web 4, thus preventing lateral displacement or thespreading of the rails of a track upon the tie 1. The brace portion 9 ispreferably made of a less width than the fastener portion 8 and thestructure is made of a durable metal and by drop forging.

lVith the tie of wood and the inner side of the rail fastened thereto,it is obvious that the fastener and brace can be driven upon the seat 6to wedge between the wall 7 and the rail, and after the fastener andbrace is properly positioned the spike 12 can be driven into the tie 1to firmly hold the fastener and brace,

It is thought that the manner of install ing the fastener and brace andits utility will be understood without further description, and while inthe drawings there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of theinvention, I reserve the right to make such variations and modificationsas fall. within the scope of the appended claim.

hat I claim, is:

A rail fastener and brace comprising the combination with a tie, a railmounted thereon, and means for securing one side of said ail to saidtie, said tie having its upper surface adjacent to one end provided witha longitudinally-extending downwardly inclined seat and further havingan inwardlybeveled wall into which the outer end of said seatterminates, said wall being inclined transversely with respect to theupper surface of the tie, of a rail fastener and brace adapted to bemounted on said seat and wedged between said wall and the other side ofsaid rail, said fastener and brace having a fastener portion providedwith an inclined edge engaging said wall, and further having a braceportion of less width than In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 1nthe presence of two Witnesses.

ALPHEUS SMATHERS.

Witnesses:

FRED M. COLEMAN, J. C. BIGGER.

